Method of producing enameled metal signs



New 3, 1925- I 1,559,572

C. KAPNER METHOD OF PRODUCING ENAMFILED METAL SIGNS Filed June 12- 1925 uNrrEasr l'o all whom it Patented 1925.

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concem' V 1 Be it known that I, KAPNER, a

citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Bellaire, county of Belmont, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Producin which the fo lowing is a specification.

This invention relates .to a method of producing enameled metal signs, and it has for its primary object to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive method .of producing enameled-letter sheet-metal si s.

A further object is to providea met d of the character mentioned whereby an enameled metal sign embodying letters or characters to" be prominently or conspica uously displayed may be produced wit minimum number of enamel coating and burning operations and, consequently, in a minimum of time and at a small fractional part of the expense heretofore involved.

In describin the invention in detail, reference is hereln -had to the accompanying drawing, in which-*- Thesingle figure is an. elevation or plan view of a sign produced in conformity with my invention.

The sign is formedof .sheet metal in a single, or unitary, structure, and consists of a pair of parallel bars- 1 and 2, preferably of relatively narrow width, and slgn letters or characters 3 formed between said bars.

. Said characters are made of skeleton form,

the metal between adjacent letters being cut away to form open spaces 4, and the metal enclosed by, or located between, members of such letters being removed, as shown at 5.

For the pur ose of rendering the letters or characters istinctly conspicuous, or so displayed that they may be readily discerned, the bars 1 and 2 are made of one color, as black, while the skeleton characters are made of a strongly contrasting color, as white. This coloring'of the sign is effected by or through the application to the metal of colored coatings of enamel which,

because of its glossy or lustrous light-reflecting character, is admirably adapted both for day and night display, and, further, because the enamel coating serves as a well nigh perfect protection against deterioration of the metal. I In effecting the coating of the sign, a first, or base, coat of enamel of any desired color is applied to the sign surfaces, front Enameled Metal Signs, of

- and rear, as by sprayin or b di in a liguid enamel bath. 's cozting iix fiien fire or baked-on, as ordinaril followin which a second 'coat of enamel is applie In case two coats are employed, the color of the second coat differs from that of the first coat, and the portion of the second coat applied to the bars 1 and2 is removed, or

wiped off, as by the use of a cloth or sponge, so that the skeleton characters this second coat. The sign is then fired a second time for baking on'the second coatmg.

A third coatin of enamel may be, and preferably is, app ied to the sign, in which case the second coat is applied in the color which is to be borne by the bars 1 and 2 and no part thereof is removed. Then,zimmediately, following the application of the third coating: which shall be in a color contrasting wit that of the second coat, the portion of the third coat borne b said-bars is removed, following which t e sign. is firedto effect the burning or baking of the third coating carried by. the skeleton .char- *acters. 4 7

It will I be understood that additional coatings of enamel may be separately ap plied and baked on, if desired; however, satisfactory results are obtainable with three coatings, and but slightly less satisfactory results may be obtained with two coatings.

What is claimed is 1. The method of producing enameled metal signs, which consists in shaping a single sheet metal blank to form a pair of parallel bars and slgn characters of skeleton form between and united at their ends to said bars, and then successively applying to alone carrysaid bars and characters a base coating of enamel, baking said coating, applying a second coating of enameljn the co or to be at their tops and bottoms to said bars, and

then successively applvingto' the face 95 coating, applying to said face a coating of enamel in a color contrasting with that of the first coating, wiping the second coating from the bars only, and firing the plate to bake thereon the portion of said last mentioned coating borne by said characters.

3. The method of producing enameled said plate a coating of. enamel; firing} metal signs, which consists in shaping asingle sheet metal blank to form a unitary flat plate structure having portions cut therefrom to provide a pair of parallel hori uann zontally disposed bars and a pluralit fof sign characters of slgeleton form locate tween and united at their tops and bottoms to-said bars, and then successively applying to the plate a plurality of coatings of ename separately firing said cOatingsQthe final coating being of a color presenting acontrast 20 ,with that of the bars as previously coated and being removed from said bars before firing. In testimony whereof, I affix my signav ture. 7

CHARLES KAPNER. 

